AUTUMN POETRY COMPETITION
The annual Poetry Competition organised by the Ministry of Culture, in conjunction with the Gibraltar Cultural Services, the Gibraltar Chronicle and the Department of Education, attracted a total of 298 entries. The Minister for Culture, the Hon Steven Linares, presented the awards on Wednesday 4th November 2015 at 4.30pm at the John Mackintosh Hall.
Commenting on the competition Mr Linares said:
‘The Poetry Competition gives another dimension to culture. This element adds alongside music, theatre, art and other established aspects the literary aspect of the Autumn Cultural Programme. I am extremely pleased with the high number of entries, but more importantly, with the quality of the entries.
I would like to thank everyone involved in this venture, including the Gibraltar Chronicle, the Department of Education and especially the adjudicators Mr Charles Durante and Mrs Concha Triay. However, I would like especially thank the many children who put pen to paper and in doing so allowed us to enjoy their excellent work.’
The Prize winners are:
Overall Winner Jackie Anderson “Fish Salters”
Runner-Up Elena Scialtiel “In the Mirror”
Highly Commended David Staunton Browne “Mañana”
Best Poem in the Spanish Language
Winner Levi Josef Attias “Rezo”
Runner Up: Bathsheba Peralta “Poeta Perdido”
Winner School Years 4 - 7 Caitlin Allen “The Lonely Room” Loreto Convent
Runner Up: Garry Alexander Cherepakhov “The Game of Chess” Loreto Convent
Highly Commended Lucia Wilson “An Autumnal Leaf” Loreto Convent
Winner School Years 8 - 11 Anna Sharma “Imperfection” Westside Comprehensive School
Runner Up: Louis Parral “The Old Lady” Bayside Comprehensive School
Highly Commended Mia Hassan “Dear Classmate” Gibraltar Girls High School
Winner School Years 12 - 13 Liam John Ballester “Individualism” Bayside Comprehensive School
Runner Up: Enna Esther Ibgui “A Story of Life” Gibraltar Girl’s High School
The Overall winner received a £300 cash prize and a trophy whilst the entry for the Best Poem in the Spanish language received a £50 cash prize and a trophy donated by the Ministry of Culture.
The winners in each school year category also received a trophy donated by the Ministry of Culture, as well as a £50 voucher and a pen kindly donated by the Gibraltar Chronicle.
Entries obtaining Runner-up Prizes and Highly Commended received their corresponding certificates from the Ministry for Culture and a pen also kindly donated by the Gibraltar Chronicle.
All winning entries will be published in the Gibraltar Chronicle.